Aerosol delivery device with a reservoir housing and a vaporizer assembly

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to an aerosol delivery device that includes a reservoir housing that defines a mouthpiece channel. The aerosol delivery device includes a sealing member configured to be received within the reservoir housing to define a reservoir chamber configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition therein. The aerosol delivery device also includes a substrate member that is configured to be received within the reservoir housing and to be directly engaged with a vaporizing assembly for forming an aerosol. The reservoir housing, sealing member, substrate member, and/or vaporizing assembly can be used for forming aerosols with precise and reproducible compositions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 17/035,135, filed Sep. 28, 2020, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/129,369, filed Sep. 12, 2018, nowU.S. Pat. No. 10,798,974, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/202,947, filed Jul. 6, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No.10,085,485, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, and moreparticularly to aerosol delivery devices that include a reservoirhousing and a vaporizing assembly, which may utilize electrical power toheat an aerosol precursor composition for the production of an aerosol.The aerosol precursor composition, which may incorporate materialsand/or components that may be made or derived from tobacco or otherwiseincorporate tobacco, is heated by the vaporizing assembly to produce aninhalable substance for human consumption.

BACKGROUND

Many smoking devices have been proposed through the years asimprovements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that requirecombusting tobacco for use. Many of those devices purportedly have beendesigned to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar orpipe smoking, but without delivering considerable quantities ofincomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from theburning of tobacco. To this end, there have been proposed numeroussmoking products, flavor generators and medicinal inhalers that utilizeelectrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt toprovide the sensations of cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking withoutburning tobacco to a significant degree. See, for example, the variousalternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heatgenerating sources set forth in the background art described in U.S.Pat. No. 7,726,320 to Robinson et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 8,881,737 toCollett et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. See also,for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol deliverydevices and electrically-powered heat generating sources referenced bybrand name and commercial source in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2015/0216232 toBless et al., which is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally,various types of electrically powered aerosol and vapor delivery devicesalso have been proposed in U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. 2014/0096781 to Sears etal.; 2014/0283859 to Minskoff et al.; 2015/0335070 to Sears et al.;2015/0335071 to Brinkley et al.; 2016/0007651 to Ampolini et al.; aswell as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/465,167 to Worm et al.,filed Aug. 21, 2014; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Certain existing embodiments of aerosol delivery devices include acontrol body (i.e., a power source assembly) and a cartridge (i.e., areservoir housing). A power source (e.g., a battery) may be positionedin the control body, and an aerosol precursor composition may beretained and/or stored within the cartridge. The cartridge and thecontrol body may engage one another to define an elongated tubularconfiguration. However, certain other form factors for aerosol deliverydevices and other aerosol precursor composition storage arrangements maybe desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices that may beused in formation of vapor. An aerosol delivery device as describedherein may be beneficial in providing for precise control over aerosolcomposition and/or secured storage of any aerosol precursor composition.

In some aspects, the present disclosure provides an aerosol deliverydevice that includes a reservoir housing having a mouthend and aconnecting end and being formed of an outer wall. The aerosol deliverydevice further includes a mouthpiece channel within the reservoirhousing that is formed of an outer wall. The mouthpiece channel extendsat least partially along the length of the reservoir housing from themouthend of the reservoir housing to a terminal end. Further, themouthpiece channel may have an opening at the mouthend of the reservoirhousing and another opening at the terminal end of the mouthpiecechannel.

According to some aspects, the aerosol delivery device may include asealing member in a sealing arrangement with the reservoir housing outerwall and the mouthpiece channel outer wall so as to define a reservoirchamber configured to retain an aerosol precursor composition therein.The sealing member may include at least one aerosol precursorcomposition orifice configured for flow therethrough of aerosolprecursor composition and may also include a sealing member vapororifice in communication with the opening at the terminal end of themouthpiece channel.

In some aspects, the aerosol delivery device includes a substrate memberdisposed adjacent the sealing member so as to be in fluid communicationwith the reservoir chamber through the sealing member. The substratemember may further include a substrate member vapor orifice that is incommunication with the sealing member vapor orifice.

According to some aspects, the aerosol delivery device may include avaporizing assembly that includes a liquid transport element in fluidcommunication with the substrate member. The vaporizing assembly mayalso include a heating element in a heating arrangement with the liquidtransport element.

The vaporizing assembly may further include at least one power connectorthat operably engages the heating element. Additionally, the aerosoldelivery device may include a connector housing that is configured tooperably engage a power source. In some aspects, the vaporizing assemblymay be arranged at least partially within the connector housing.According to some aspects, the aerosol delivery device may furtherinclude an atomizer housing, which includes a vaporizing chamber. Insome aspects, the liquid transfer element and the heating element may bedisposed within the vaporizing chamber. Additionally, the vaporizingchamber may be in fluid communication with the substrate member vapororifice. Further, the atomizer housing may be operably engaged with theconnector housing. In some aspects, the sealing member vapor orifice maybe configured to provide for fluid communication between the mouthpiecechannel and the vaporizing assembly. Further, the sealing member vapororifice may be configured to receive at least a portion of themouthpiece channel therethrough.

In some aspects, the sealing member may include a sealing elementconfigured to be operably engaged with the outer wall of the reservoirhousing. For example, the sealing element may include a flange portionconfigured to be operably engaged with the outer wall of the reservoirhousing. According to some aspects, the sealing element may include aflange portion configured to be operably engaged with the outer wall offthe mouthpiece channel. The mouthpiece channel and the reservoir housingmay be substantially coaxial with respect to one another.

According to some aspects, the reservoir housing may further include atleast one sealing member support that extends along a directionsubstantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the reservoir housing.Additionally, the at least one sealing member support may have aterminal end. In some aspects, the terminal end of the mouthpiecechannel may extend beyond the terminal end of the sealing member supportfrom the mouthend of the reservoir housing. The terminal end of thesealing member support may directly engage the sealing member.

In some aspects, the present disclosure may provide a liquid storagetank for an aerosol delivery device. The liquid storage tank may includean outer housing formed of a wall. The outer housing may include aclosed mouthend and an opposing end. According to some aspects, theliquid storage tank includes a central tube interior to the outerhousing and formed of a wall. The central tube may also include a firstend opening through the closed mouthend of the outer housing and asecond, opposing open end. In some aspects, the liquid storage tankincludes a sealing member that sealingly engages the wall of the outerhousing and has a central orifice aligned with the second open end ofthe central tube in a sealing arrangement with the wall of the centraltube. Further, the liquid storage tank may include a substrate memberadjacent the sealing member. Additionally, the wall of the outerhousing, the wall of the central tube, and the sealing member may definea reservoir chamber configured for storage of an aerosol precursorcomposition. The sealing member may further include at least one orificeconfigured for passage of the aerosol precursor composition between thereservoir chamber and the substrate member.

According to some aspects, the present disclosure may provide a methodof manufacturing a liquid storage tank for an aerosol delivery device.The method may include providing a reservoir chamber that may bedefined, in part, by an outer housing formed of a wall and a centraltube interior to the outer housing and formed of a wall. The outerhousing may include a closed mouthend and an opposing connecting end.Additionally, the central tube may include a first end opening throughthe closed mouthend of the outer housing. Further, the central tube mayinclude a second opposing open end. The method may further includedispensing an aerosol precursor composition within the reservoirchamber. In particular, the method may include dispensing the aerosolprecursor composition between the wall of the outer housing and the wallof the central tube from the connecting end of the outer housing. Insome aspects, the method may include inserting a sealing member into theouter housing from the connecting end of the outer housing. The sealingmember includes a sealing member vapor orifice, and inserting thesealing member into the outer housing may include engaging a peripheralportion of the sealing member with the wall of the outer housing andengaging the sealing member vapor orifice with the second open end ofthe central tube in a sealing arrangement. According to some aspects,the method may include inserting a substrate member adjacent to thesealing member within the outer housing from the connecting end of theouter housing. Further, the substrate member may include a substratemember vapor orifice.

According to some aspects, the method further includes inserting atleast a portion of a vaporizing assembly within the outer housing fromthe connecting end of the outer housing. The vaporizing assembly mayinclude a liquid transport element. Further, inserting at least aportion of the vaporizing assembly within the outer housing may providefor engaging the liquid transport element with the substrate memberdisposed within the outer housing. In some aspects, the vaporizingassembly includes a heating element in a heating arrangement with theliquid transport element.

In some aspects, the sealing member further includes a substrateengaging element that extends from the sealing member and along adirection substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the outerhousing. According to some aspects, inserting the substrate memberadjacent to the sealing member within the outer housing includesinserting the substrate engaging element through at least a portion ofthe substrate member vapor orifice so as to provide for fluidcommunication between the first end opening of the central tube and thesubstrate member vapor orifice. Additionally, the outer housing furtherincludes at least one sealing member support extending along a directionsubstantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the outer housing andhaving a terminal end. According to some aspects, inserting the sealingmember into the outer housing from the connecting end of the outerhousing further includes inserting the sealing member so as to directlyengage a portion of the sealing member with the terminal end of thesealing member support. Further, the second opposing open end of thecentral tube extends beyond the terminal end of the sealing membersupport from the closed mouthend of the outer housing.

It will be appreciated that the above Summary is provided merely forpurposes of summarizing some example aspects so as to provide a basicunderstanding of some aspects of the disclosure. As such, it will beappreciated that the above described example aspects are merely examplesof some aspects and should not be construed to narrow the scope orspirit of the disclosure in any way. It will be appreciated that thescope of the disclosure encompasses many potential aspects, some ofwhich will be further described below, in addition to those heresummarized. Further, other features, aspects, and advantages of thedisclosure will be apparent from a reading of the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings whichillustrate, by way of example, the principles of the described aspects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In order to assist the understanding of aspects of the disclosure,reference will now be made to the appended drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale and in which like reference numerals refer tolike elements. The drawings are exemplary only, and should not beconstrued as limiting the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device according toan example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an aerosol delivery device according toanother example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of an aerosol delivery device with areservoir housing shown as being transparent for convenience accordingto an example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a reservoir housing according to anexample aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a reservoir housing and a reservoirchamber defined, in part, by the reservoir housing according to anexample aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sealing member, a substrate member,and a vaporizing assembly according to an example aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 7A is a top perspective view of a sealing member and a substratemember according to an example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7B is a bottom perspective view of a sealing member and a substratemember according to an example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a proximal end of a vaporizing assemblyaccording to an example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a distal end of a vaporizing assemblyaccording to an example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a vaporizing assembly having aconnector housing (shown removed from the vaporizing assembly forclarity of view) according to an example aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a vaporizing assembly having aconnector housing (shown removed from the vaporizing assembly forclarity of view) according to an example aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a vaporizing assembly operably engagedwith a substrate member and a sealing member according to an exampleaspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of a method for assembling anaerosol delivery device according to an example aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 14A is a sectional view of a portion of a reservoir housingaccording to an example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14B is a sectional view of a portion of a reservoir housingaccording to an example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14C is a sectional view of a portion of a reservoir housingaccording to an example aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14D is a sectional view of a portion of a reservoir housingaccording to an example aspect of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the reservoir housing shown in FIG. 14Caccording to an example aspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These exemplary embodimentsare described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, andwill fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in theart. Indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms andshould not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure willsatisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification, andin the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, includeplural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

As described hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure relateto aerosol delivery systems. Aerosol delivery systems according to thepresent disclosure use electrical energy to heat a material (preferablywithout combusting the material to any significant degree and/or withoutsignificant chemical alteration of the material) to form an inhalablesubstance; and components of such systems have the form of articles thatmost preferably are sufficiently compact to be considered hand-helddevices. That is, use of components of preferred aerosol deliverysystems does not result in the production of smoke—i.e., fromby-products of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, use ofthose preferred systems results in the production of vapors/aerosolsresulting from volatilization or vaporization of certain componentsincorporated therein. In preferred embodiments, components of aerosoldelivery systems may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, andthose electronic cigarettes most preferably incorporate tobacco and/orcomponents derived from tobacco, and hence deliver tobacco derivedcomponents in aerosol form.

Aerosol generating pieces of certain preferred aerosol delivery systemsmay provide many of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalationrituals, types of tastes or flavors, organoleptic effects, physicalfeel, use rituals, visual cues such as those provided by visibleaerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe that isemployed by lighting and burning tobacco (and hence inhaling tobaccosmoke), without any substantial degree of combustion of any componentthereof. For example, the user of an aerosol generating piece of thepresent disclosure can hold and use that piece much like a smokeremploys a traditional type of smoking article (e.g., a cigarette, cigaror pipe that is employed by lighting with a flame and used by inhalingtobacco that is subsequently burned and/or combusted), draw on one endof that piece for inhalation of aerosol produced by that piece, take ordraw puffs at selected intervals of time, and the like. The devicesdescribed herein, however, are not limited to devices that aresubstantially shaped and dimensioned as a traditional cigarette. Rather,the present devices may take on any shape and can be substantiallylarger than a traditional cigarette. In certain preferred aspects, thedevice may be sufficiently compact to be considered “hand-held” devices.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure also can becharacterized as being vapor-producing articles or medicament deliveryarticles. Thus, such articles or devices can be adapted so as to provideone or more substances (e.g., flavors and/or pharmaceutical activeingredients) in an inhalable form or state. For example, inhalablesubstances can be substantially in the form of a vapor (i.e., asubstance that is in the gas phase at a temperature lower than itscritical point). Alternatively, inhalable substances can be in the formof an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquiddroplets in a gas). For purposes of simplicity, the term “aerosol” asused herein is meant to include vapors, gases, and aerosols of a form ortype suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible, and whetheror not of a form that might be considered to be smoke-like.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure generally include anumber of components provided within an outer body or shell, which maybe referred to as a housing. The overall design of the outer body orshell can vary, and the format or configuration of the outer body thatcan define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device canvary. In exemplary embodiments, an elongated body resembling the shapeof a cigarette or cigar can be a formed from a single, unitary housing,or the elongated housing can be formed of two or more separable bodies.For example, an aerosol delivery device can comprise an elongated shellor body that can be substantially tubular in shape and, as such,resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. In oneembodiment, all of the components of the aerosol delivery device arecontained within a single housing. Alternatively, an aerosol deliverydevice can comprise two or more housings that are joined and areseparable. For example, an aerosol delivery device can possess twobodies that are substantially axially aligned when joined and caninclude at one end, a control body comprising a housing containing oneor more components (e.g., a battery and various electronics forcontrolling the operation of that article), and at the other end andremovably attached thereto, an outer body or shell containing aerosolforming components (e.g., one or more aerosol precursor components, suchas flavors and aerosol formers, one or more heaters, and/or one or morewicks). Aerosol delivery devices described herein, however, are notlimited to devices that include two bodies that are substantiallyaxially aligned when joined together.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure can be formed of anouter housing or shell that is not substantially tubular in shape butmay be formed to substantially greater dimensions—i.e., be substantially“palm-sized” for being held in the palm of a user. The housing or shellcan be configured to include a mouthpiece and/or may be configured toreceive a separate shell (e.g., a cartridge) that can include consumableelements, such as a liquid aerosol precursor composition, and caninclude a vaporizer or atomizer.

Aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure most preferablycomprise some combination of a power source (i.e., an electrical powersource), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating,controlling, regulating and ceasing power for heat generation, such asby controlling electrical current flow the power source to othercomponents of the article—e.g., a microcontroller or microprocessor), aheater or heat generation member (e.g., an electrical resistance heatingelement or other component, which alone or in combination with one ormore further elements may be commonly referred to as an “atomizer”), anaerosol precursor composition (e.g., commonly a liquid capable ofyielding an aerosol upon application of sufficient heat, such asingredients commonly referred to as “smoke juice,” “e-liquid” and“e-juice”), and a mouthpiece or mouth region for allowing draw upon theaerosol delivery device for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined airflowpath through the article such that aerosol generated can be withdrawntherefrom upon draw).

More specific formats, configurations and arrangements of componentswithin the aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure will beevident in light of the further disclosure provided hereinafter.Additionally, the selection and arrangement of various aerosol deliverysystem components can be appreciated upon consideration of thecommercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such asthose representative products referenced in background art section ofthe present disclosure. One example aspect of an aerosol delivery device10 according to the present disclosure is provided in FIG. 1 . Theaerosol delivery device 10 can include a reservoir housing 200, avaporizing assembly 300 and a power source assembly 600, which may beoperably engaged with one another. In one aspect, the reservoir housing200 and the vaporizing assembly 300 can be permanently or detachablyengaged in a functioning relationship. Operable engagement between thereservoir housing 200 and the vaporizing assembly 300 can be press fit,threaded, interference fit, magnetic, ultrasonic welded, and/or thelike. In some aspects, the vaporizing assembly 300 and the power sourceassembly 600 may be directly and operably engaged with one another. Forexample, the vaporizing assembly 300 and the power source assembly 600may be detachable from one another and mechanically engaged in afunctioning relationship. In some aspects, the vaporizing assembly 300and the power source assembly 600 may be engaged with one another in afunctioning relationship such that the power source assembly 600provides electrical power to the vaporizing assembly 300 and/oradditional control functionality as described in greater detail herein.According to another aspect, as shown in FIG. 2 , a reservoir housing200 may be operably engaged with a power source assembly 600 and mayinclude a vaporizing assembly therein configured to operably engage apower source disposed in the power source assembly 600. Alternatively,the vaporizing assembly may be disposed within the power source assembly600 and may be configured to operably engage a reservoir housing that isdetachably engaged in a functioning relationship with the power sourceassembly 600. Further aspects of such devices are described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/465,167 to Worm et al., filed Aug. 21,2014, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/981,051 to Phillips etal., filed Dec. 28, 2015, the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

According to some aspects, one or any of the reservoir housing 200, thevaporizing assembly 300, and/or the power source assembly 600 may bereferred to as being disposable or as being reusable. For example, thepower source assembly 600 may include a replaceable power source such asreplaceable battery. In another aspect, the power source assembly mayinclude a rechargeable battery, and thus may be combined with any typeof recharging technology, including connection to a typical electricaloutlet, connection to a car charger (e.g., a cigarette lighterreceptacle), and/or connection to a computer, such as through auniversal serial bus (USB) cable. For example, an adaptor including aUSB connector at one end and a control body connector at an opposing endis disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2014/0261495 to Novak et al.,which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Examples ofuseful rechargeable power sources include lithium ion batteries, andmore particularly, lithium polymer batteries. Additional examples ofbatteries that can be used according to the disclosure are described inU.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0028766 to Peckerar et al., the disclosureof which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In another aspect, the reservoir housing 200 and the vaporizing assembly300 may be securely attached and/or affixed to one another to form adisposable single-use cartridge. For example, the reservoir housing 200may include a limited amount of aerosol precursor composition therein toprovide for many of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalationrituals, types of tastes or flavors, organoleptic effects, etc.) ofsmoking a particular amount of traditional types of smoking articles(e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.). In some aspects, the reservoirhousing 200 may include a particular amount of aerosol precursorcomposition therein equivalent to the amount of traditional types ofsmoking articles one would consume to obtain the sensations of smoking atypical amount of traditional types of smoking articles (e.g., a typicalpackage of cigarettes—i.e., twenty (20) cigarettes). Additionally oralternatively, the reservoir housing 200 and the vaporizing assembly 300may be securely engaged with one another so as to prevent tamperingand/or manipulation of the aerosol precursor composition stored within areservoir chamber 210.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the aerosol delivery device 10 defines alongitudinal axis Y that extends from a first end 12 to an opposingsecond end 14 of the aerosol delivery device 10. The aerosol deliverydevice 10 may be substantially rod-like or substantially tubular orcylindrically shaped in some aspects. Although the aerosol deliverydevice 10 is illustrated as being substantially tubular and cylindricalin shape in FIG. 1 , other suitable shapes and dimensions (e.g., arectangular or triangular cross-section or the like) are alsoencompassed by the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the reservoir housing 200 includes a first closedmouthend 202 and an opposing second connecting end 204. Additionally,the reservoir housing 200 includes an outer wall 201 that extends fromthe mouthend 202 to the connecting end 204 along a direction parallel tothe longitudinal axis Y of the aerosol delivery device 10. In someaspects, the reservoir housing 200 may include a mouthpiece portion 206disposed proximate the mouthend 202 of the reservoir housing 200 and astorage portion 208 that extends from the mouthpiece portion 206 towardsthe connecting end 204 of the reservoir housing 200. Additionally, thestorage portion 208 may extend from the mouthpiece portion 206 towardsthe connecting end 204 along a direction parallel to the longitudinalaxis Y of the aerosol delivery device 10. According to some aspects, thestorage portion 208 may be configured to receive various components ofthe aerosol delivery device 10 within the outer wall 201 of thereservoir housing 200, as discussed in greater detail below.

In some aspects, the mouthpiece portion 206 disposed proximate themouthend 202 of the reservoir housing 200 may include a tapered portionhaving a smaller diameter than other portions (e.g., storage portion208) of the reservoir housing 200. According to some aspects, theaerosol delivery device 10 may include a mouthpiece channel 216 that isformed of an outer wall 217 disposed within the reservoir housing 200.For example, the mouthpiece channel 216 may be formed of an outer wall217 that is substantially shaped as a cylindrical tube and is disposedinterior to the outer wall 201 of the reservoir housing 200.Additionally, the mouthpiece channel 216 may include an opening 214disposed proximate to the mouthend 202 of the reservoir housing 200. Theopening 214 may provide for egress of formed aerosol from the aerosoldelivery device 10. In particular, the mouthpiece channel 216 may beconfigured to be in fluid communication with the opening 214.Additionally, the mouthpiece channel 216 may include a second opening215 disposed proximate a terminal end 219 of the mouthpiece channel 216.The second opening 215 may also be in fluid communication with themouthpiece channel 216 and may also provide for egress of formed aerosolfrom the aerosol delivery device 10.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 , the mouthpiece channel 216 may besubstantially tubular and cylindrical in shape. Additionally, themouthpiece channel 216 may extend from the mouthend 202 to the terminalend 219 of the mouthpiece channel 216. In some aspects, the mouthpiecechannel 216 may extend from the mouthend 202 and towards the connectingend 204 of the reservoir housing 200 along a direction parallel to thelongitudinal axis Y of the aerosol delivery device 10. In some aspects,the mouthpiece channel 216 may taper as it extends from a first end to asecond end of the mouthpiece channel 216. According to some aspects, themouthpiece channel 216 may be shaped and/or arranged so as to mitigatethe likelihood of a meniscus forming within the mouthpiece channel 216.For example, as shown in FIG. 14A, the mouthpiece channel 216 may beshaped to include a first portion 230, a second portion 232, and atransition therebetween that includes an elliptical orifice 234.According to another aspect, as shown in FIG. 14B, the mouthpiecechannel 216 may be shaped to include a first portion 230, a secondportion 232, and a shoulder portion 236 disposed proximate therebetweenthat provides for a fluid trap configured to minimize the formation ofcondensation within the mouthpiece channel 216. In some aspects, asshown in FIGS. 14C and 14D, the mouthpiece channel 216 may includefluted elements 238 extending radially inward from the outer wall 217that forms the mouthpiece channel 216. According to some aspects, asshown in FIG. 15 , the fluted elements 238 may extend radially inwardfrom the outer wall 217 so as to define a star-shaped radialcross-section of the mouthpiece channel 216 configured to prevent theformation of a meniscus therein. Additionally, the mouthpiece channel216 may extend through a reservoir chamber 210 defined by the reservoirhousing 200 and may be in fluid communication with the vaporizingassembly 300, as discussed in greater detail herein.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5 , the storage portion 208 may define, inpart, a reservoir chamber 210 configured to store an aerosol precursorcomposition therein. As previously mentioned, the reservoir housing 200may be substantially tubular in shape, and more particularly, thestorage portion 208 may be substantially tubular and/or cylindricallyshaped. As shown in FIG. 5 , the outer wall 201 that forms thesubstantially cylindrical tubular shaped reservoir housing 200 mayinclude an interior surface 212. Additionally, the outer wall 217 thatforms the mouthpiece channel 216 may include an exterior surface 218.The interior surface 212 of the outer wall 201 that forms the reservoirhousing 200 and the exterior surface 218 of the outer wall 217 thatforms the mouthpiece channel 216 may define, in part, the reservoirchamber 210 configured to retain an amount of aerosol precursorcomposition therein.

In some aspects, the reservoir housing 200 may further include at leastone sealing member support 220. According to one aspect and asparticularly shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 , the reservoir housing 200 mayinclude four sealing member support 220 arranged about the interiorsurface 212 of the outer wall 201 of the reservoir housing 200 insubstantially equal angular intervals about the longitudinal axis Y ofthe aerosol delivery device 10. Although the reservoir housing 200 isshown as having four sealing member supports 220, one of ordinary skillin the art may appreciate that any number of sealing member supports arealso encompassed by the present disclosure. In some aspects, the atleast one sealing member support 220 may be integrally formed with theinterior surface 212 of the outer wall 201. In another aspect, thesealing member support 220 may be securely affixed to the interiorsurface 212 of the reservoir housing 200.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5 , the sealing member supports 220 may extendfrom proximate the mouthend 202 of the reservoir housing to a terminalend 221 along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinalaxis Y of the aerosol delivery device 10. In some aspects, the sealingmember supports 220 may extend longitudinally along the interior surface212 of the outer wall 201 of the reservoir housing 200. Further, thesealing member supports 220 may extend along a direction substantiallyparallel to the mouthpiece channel 216. According to some aspects, themouthpiece channel 216 extends a greater distance along a directionsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis Y of the aerosoldelivery device 10 than the distance any of the sealing member supports220 extends along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinalaxis Y of the aerosol delivery device 10, as shown in FIG. 3 . Inparticular, the terminal end 219 of the mouthpiece channel 216 extendsbeyond the terminal end 221 of the sealing member support 220 from themouthend 202 of the reservoir housing 200.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 , the connecting end 204 of the reservoirhousing 200 may be configured to receive a sealing member 500therethrough. The sealing member 500 may be configured to directlyengage the reservoir housing 200 so as to define the reservoir chamber210 configured to retain the aerosol precursor composition therein.Additionally, the sealing member 500 may be in a sealing arrangementwith the outer wall 201 of the reservoir housing 200 and the outer wall217 of the mouthpiece channel 216 so as to define the reservoir chamber210. In particular, the sealing member 500 may be configured to directlyand sealingly engage the interior surface 212 of the storage portion 208and the exterior surface 218 of the mouthpiece channel 216 such that thesealing member 500, the interior surface 212 of the storage portion 208,and the exterior surface 218 of the mouthpiece channel 216 define thereservoir chamber 210. Additionally, the sealing member supports 220 maybe configured to directly engage the sealing member 500 when the sealingmember 500 is disposed and/or received within the reservoir housing 200.

According to one aspect, the sealing member 500 may be configured todirectly engage the interior surface 212 of the storage portion 208 soas to substantially prevent the aerosol precursor composition fromtraversing a circumferential peripheral surface 502 of the sealingmember 500 that directly and sealingly engages the interior surface 212of the storage portion 208. For example, the circumferential peripheralsurface 502 of the sealing member 500 may further include at least onesealing element 504 that extends radially therefrom, as particularlyshown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The sealing element 504 may be configured todirectly engage the interior surface 212 of the storage portion 208. Insome aspects, the sealing element 504 may include a plurality of ridges,flanges, and/or the like that extend radially from and along theperipheral surface 502 of the sealing member 500 and are configured todirectly and operably engage the interior surface 212 of the reservoirhousing 200. When directly engaged with the interior surface 212, thesealing element 504 may be configured to substantially limit and/orprevent the aerosol precursor composition disposed within the reservoirchamber 210 from traversing the peripheral surface 502 of the sealingmember 500 when the sealing member 500 is operably and directly engagedwith the reservoir housing 200 and disposed therein.

Additionally, the mouthpiece channel 216 may be configured to directlyengage the sealing member 500 when the sealing member 500 is disposedand/or received within the reservoir housing 200. Referring to FIG. 7A,the sealing member 500 may define a sealing member vapor orifice 506that extends therethrough. Additionally, the sealing member 500 mayfurther include a flange portion 508 that may partially define a portionof the sealing member vapor orifice 506. For example, as shown in FIG.12 , the flange portion 508 may be shaped as an annular member thatdefines a medial portion of the sealing member vapor orifice 506.According to another aspect, the flange portion 508 may define a distalor proximal portion of the sealing member vapor orifice 506. Further,the portion of the sealing member vapor orifice 506 defined by theannular shaped flange portion 508 may have a smaller diameter than adiameter of at least another portion of the sealing member vapor orifice506. Additionally, when the sealing member 500 is operably engaged withthe reservoir housing 200 (e.g., the circumferential peripheral surface502 is directly and sealingly engaged with an interior surface 212 ofthe reservoir housing, etc.), the annular shaped flange portion 508 maybe configured to directly and sealingly engage the mouthpiece channel216. In particular, the flange portion 508 provides a seat for themouthpiece channel 216 to substantially abut such that the sealingmember 500, the interior surface 212 of the reservoir housing 200, andthe exterior surface 218 of the mouthpiece channel 216 enclose a volumethat defines the reservoir chamber 210.

In some aspects, the sealing member vapor orifice 506 may be configuredto provide for fluid communication between the mouthpiece channel 216and the vaporizing assembly 300 when the mouthpiece channel 216 isdisposed within the sealing member vapor orifice 506 and/or issubstantially abutted against the flange portion 508 of the sealingmember vapor orifice 506. For example, when the mouthpiece channel 216substantially abuts the flange portion 508, the sealing member vapororifice 506 may provide for fluid communication between the mouthpiecechannel 216 and the vaporizing assembly 300 such that aerosol, vaporand/or the like formed by the vaporizing assembly 300 heating an aerosolprecursor composition may egress the aerosol delivery device 10 via theopening 215 disposed proximate the terminal end 219 of the mouthpiecechannel 216, the mouthpiece channel 216, and through the opening 214disposed proximate the mouthend 202 of the reservoir housing 200.According to some aspects, when the mouthpiece channel 216 substantiallyabuts the flange portion 508 and/or is disposed within the sealingmember vapor orifice 506, the operable engagement between the mouthpiecechannel 216 and the sealing member vapor orifice 506 and/or the flangeportion 508 may provide for an air-tight seal or a fluid-tight sealtherebetween. The operable engagement between the mouthpiece channel 216and the sealing member vapor orifice 506 and/or the flange portion 508may advantageously prevent and/or substantially limit aerosol, vaporand/or the like formed by the vaporizing assembly 300 from entering thereservoir chamber 210. Additionally or alternatively, the operableengagement between the mouthpiece channel 216 and the sealing membervapor orifice 506 and/or the flange portion 508 may advantageouslyprevent and/or substantially limit the aerosol precursor compositionretained within the reservoir chamber 210 from entering the mouthpiecechannel 216, the sealing member vapor orifice 506, and/or the vaporizingassembly 300.

According to some aspects, the sealing member 500 may be furtherconfigured to directly engage at least one sealing member support 220when the circumferential peripheral surface 502 of the sealing member500 is directly engaged with an interior surface 212 of the reservoirhousing 200 and/or when the sealing member vapor orifice 506 and/or theflange portion 508 of the sealing member 500 is directly engaged withthe mouthpiece channel 216. In this regard, a first planar surface 510of the sealing member 500 may be oriented, exposed, faced and/or thelike towards the reservoir chamber 210 when the sealing member 500 isoperably engaged with the reservoir housing 200. Additionally, when thesealing member 500 is operably engaged with the reservoir housing 200and/or when the mouthpiece channel 210 is disposed within the sealingmember vapor orifice 506 and/or substantially abutting the flangeportion 508, the sealing member support 220 may substantially abut thefirst planar surface 510. In particular, the terminal end 221 of sealingmember support 220 may substantially abut the first planar surface 510of the sealing member 500 so as to prevent peripheral portions of thesealing member 500 from being displaced longitudinally towards themouthend 202 of the reservoir housing 200. As shown in FIG. 7A, alongitudinal distance A exists between the flange portion 508 and thefirst planar surface 510 of the sealing member 500 such that the lengthof the distance A between the flange portion 508 and the first planarsurface 510 of the sealing member 500 corresponds with the difference inlength between the length of the mouthpiece channel 210 and the lengthof the sealing member support 220, as previously described herein.

Referring to FIG. 7B, the sealing member 500 may further define asubstrate engaging element 514 that extends along a direction parallelto the longitudinal axis Y of the aerosol delivery device 10. Inparticular, the substrate engaging element 514 may extend from a secondplanar surface 512, which is disposed opposite to the first planarsurface 510 with respect to the longitudinal axis Y, of the sealingelement 500. In some aspects, and as particularly shown in FIGS. 6 and12 , the sealing member 500 may be configured to operably engage thesubstrate member 400. For example, the substrate engaging element 514may be configured to directly engage the substrate member 400 so as tolimit the substrate member 400 from being displaced radially from thelongitudinal axis Y of the aerosol delivery device 10 with respect tothe sealing member 500. In particular, the substrate engaging element514 may be disposed within a substrate member vapor orifice 402 that isdefined by the substrate member 400. In some aspects, the substratemember vapor orifice 402 of the substrate member 400 may extend throughthe substrate member 400 completely, and a diameter of the substratemember vapor orifice 402 may be substantially consistent along theentire length of the substrate member vapor orifice 402. According tosome aspects, the outermost diameter of the substrate engaging element514 may be substantially equal to the diameter of the substrate membervapor orifice 402 such that when the substrate engaging element 514 isinserted therethrough, the substrate member 400 is prevented from beingsubstantially displaced radially from the longitudinal axis Y withrespect to the sealing member 500. Operable engagement between thesubstrate engaging element 514 of the sealing member 500 and thesubstrate member vapor orifice 402 may include a friction fit, pressfit, interference fit, and/or the like such that radial displacementbetween the sealing member 500 and the substrate member 400 issubstantially limited.

Additionally, the substrate member vapor orifice 402 may be configuredto provide for fluid communication between any of the opening 214 of themouthpiece channel 210 of the reservoir housing 200, the sealing membervapor orifice 506 of the sealing member 500, and the vaporizing assembly300, such that aerosol, vapor and/or the like formed by the vaporizingassembly 300 heating an aerosol precursor composition may egress theaerosol delivery device 10 through the substrate member vapor orifice402, the sealing member vapor orifice 506, the second opening 215 of themouthpiece channel 216, the mouthpiece channel 216, and the opening 214of the mouthpiece channel 216 disposed proximate the mouthend 202 of thereservoir housing 200.

As shown in FIGS. 6-7B, the sealing member 500 may further define atleast one aerosol precursor composition orifice 516 that extendstherethrough. In some aspects, the sealing member 500 may include fouraerosol precursor composition orifices 516 that are arranged about thelongitudinal axis Y of the aerosol delivery device 10 in substantiallyequal angular intervals. The at least one aerosol precursor compositionorifice 516 is configured to provide for fluid communication between thereservoir chamber 210 and the substrate member 400. In particular, thesubstrate member 400 may include a first planar surface 404 thatsubstantially abuts the second planar surface 512 of the sealing member500 when the substrate engaging element 514 is directly engaged with thesubstrate member vapor orifice 402. Additionally, portions of the firstplanar surface 404 of the substrate member 400 may be exposed torespective aerosol precursor composition orifices 516 when the firstplanar surface 404 of the substrate member 400 substantially abuts thesecond planar surface 512 of the sealing member 500.

According to some aspects, the sealing member 500 may include anysuitable number of aerosol precursor composition orifices 516 so as toprovide for the precise transfer of a desired amount of aerosolprecursor composition from the reservoir chamber 210 to the substratemember 400. Aerosol precursor composition orifices 516 may be shapedand/or configured so as to provide for the transfer of small volumes ofliquid (i.e., an aerosol precursor composition and/or componentsthereof), such as milliliter or smaller, microliter or smaller, from thereservoir chamber 210 to the substrate member 400. Additionally and/oralternatively, an aerosol precursor composition orifice 516 may beshaped and/or configured so as to substantially limit and/or prevent anyamount of aerosol precursor composition retained within the reservoirchamber 210 from vaporizing prematurely (i.e., vaporizing before beingprovided to the vaporizing assembly 300). For example, the aerosolprecursor composition orifice 516 may be shaped and/or configured suchthat a pressure within the reservoir chamber 210 does not decrease pastan operational threshold during use of the aerosol delivery device 10.In some aspects, the aerosol precursor composition orifice 516 may beapproximately 0.047 mm. According to another aspect, the aerosolprecursor composition orifice 516 may be about 0.065 mm. In yet anotherexample aspect, the aerosol precursor composition orifice 516 may beabout 0.080 mm. Additionally, the aerosol precursor composition orifice516 may be sized in response to the surface energy of the aerosolprecursor composition retained within the reservoir chamber 210. Suchsizing can particularly be adapted to substantially resist bulk liquidflow from the reservoir chamber 210 until a negative pressure is applied(i.e., via a draw on the mouthend of the mouthend 202 of the device), atwhich time the desired volume of liquid may be expressed through theaerosol precursor composition orifice 516. Accordingly the aerosolprecursor composition orifice(s) can have a size in the range of about0.02 mm to about 0.11 mm, about 0.03 mm to about 0.1 mm, or about 0.04mm to about 0.09 mm. When a plurality of aerosol precursor compositionorifices is present, each orifice may have substantially the same size,or two or more orifices may have different sizes. Additionally oralternatively, another consideration when sizing the aerosol precursorcomposition orifice(s) 516 may include the density of the substrate, theamount of negative pressure within the aerosol delivery device duringuser operation, and/or the material selection of the sealing member 500.As such, the sealing member 500 may provide for the transfer of anaerosol precursor composition from the reservoir chamber 210 to thesubstrate member 400 in small, precise volumes and may provide forimproving aerosol formation and/or reducing unnecessary power drain.

Although FIGS. 3 and 5 illustrate the reservoir housing 200 defines asingle reservoir chamber 210 when the sealing member 500 is disposedwithin and operably engaged with the reservoir housing 200, one ofordinary skill in the art may appreciate that an aerosol delivery device10 may include a reservoir housing 200 defining any number of reservoirchambers 210. For example, in some aspects, a sealing member 500defining four aerosol precursor composition orifices 516 may be operablyengaged with a reservoir housing 200 that defines four distinctreservoir chambers 210 that are each compartmentalized and separatedfrom one another. Particularly, each of the distinct reservoir chamberswould be configured to fluidly communicate with a designated aerosolprecursor composition orifice and would not be in fluid communicationwith any other reservoir chamber. In some aspects, components of anaerosol precursor composition may be separated and compartmentalized indistinct reservoir chambers and may be provided to the substrate member400 in specific quantities based at least in part on the shape,configuration, and/or size of the specific aerosol precursor compositionorifice 516 that is in fluid communication with the respective reservoirchamber.

Although the substrate member 400 is illustrated as being substantiallyannular in shape in FIGS. 7A and 7B, other suitable shapes (e.g., arectangular ring, triangular ring or the like) and dimensions are alsoencompassed by the present disclosure. In some aspects, the substratemember 400 can have a relatively small thickness (e.g., about 1 mm toabout 20 mm, about 1.5 to about 15 mm, or about 2 mm to about 10 mm).Additionally, FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate that the first planar surface404 of the substrate member 400 defines a surface area that issubstantially equal to a surface area of an opposing second planarsurface 406 of the substrate member 400. Although FIGS. 7A and 7Billustrate the surface area of the first planar surface 404 and thesurface area of second planar surface 406 of the substrate member 400are substantially equal to one another, one of ordinary skill in the artmay appreciate that the respective surface areas of the first and secondplanar surfaces 404, 406 may differ in magnitude from one another.According to some aspects, the substrate member 400 defines a surfacearea of the first and second planar surfaces 404, 406, which are bothabout 0.5 cm² to about 50 cm², about 1 cm² to about 45 cm², about 2 cm²to about 40 cm², or about 3 cm² to about 30 cm².

The substrate member 400 can be formed of any material that issufficiently and/or substantially inert with respect to the aerosolprecursor composition and with respect to the amount of heating requiredfor the vaporization of the aerosol precursor composition. Inparticular, the substrate member 400 is preferably chemicallynon-reactive with the components of the aerosol precursor composition(including aerosol forming materials, flavoring materials, and thelike). Additionally, the substrate member 400 is preferably thermallyand mechanically stable under the conditions of use. For example, thesubstrate member 400 may be formed of a material that is temperaturesstable at a temperature of about 100° C. or greater, about 150° C. orgreater, about 200° C. or greater, about 300° C. or greater, about 400°C. or greater, or about 500° C. or greater. In some aspects, thesubstrate member 400 may include a plurality of layers of nonwovenfibers. For example, the substrate member 400 may include celluloseacetate (CA) fibers, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bicomponentfibers, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) fibers, and/or the like. Othermaterials, such as fiberglass fibers, are also encompassed by thepresent disclosure. Additionally or alternatively, the substrate member400 may include fiberglass fibers, a porous ceramic material,particularly a silicon-based material, a silicon nitride material,and/or a porous glass or quartz material. Further, certain thermoplasticmaterials, such as cyclic olefin copolymers (COC) can be incorporatedwithin the substrate member 400. Additionally and/or alternatively, thesubstrate member 400 may include wicking and/or porous materials thatprovide for the movement of the aerosol precursor compositiontherethrough (e.g., via capillary action), such that the aerosolprecursor composition may be drawn to a liquid transport element 314, asdescribed in greater detail herein. The substrate member 400 may includeany combination of materials to provide for capillary action so as toprovide the liquid transport element 314 an amount of aerosol precursorcomposition, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/989,109, filed Jan. 5, 2016, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the vaporizing assembly 300 configured to be atleast partially received within the reservoir housing 200 may include anatomizer housing 306 and a connector housing 330 operably engagedtherewith. In particular, the atomizer housing 306 may be disposedproximate a vaporizing end 302 of the vaporizing assembly 300, and theconnector housing 300 may be disposed proximate an opposed connectingend 304 of the vaporizing assembly 300. According to some aspects, theatomizer housing 306 may be operably engaged with the connector housing330 in a friction fit, interference fit, magnetic fit, snap fit and/orthe like. In some aspects, the atomizer housing 306 and the connectorhousing 330 may be securely affixed and/or attached to one anotherthrough ultrasonic welding and/or the like. Although the atomizerhousing 306 and the connector housing 330 are illustrated as beingseparate members, the atomizer housing 306 and the connector housing 330may be integrally formed with one another.

The atomizer housing 306 and/or the connector housing 330 may be sizedand/or shaped such that the atomizer housing 306 and/or at least aportion of the connector housing 330 are disposed within the reservoirhousing 200, as shown in FIG. 1 . In some aspects, the atomizer housing306 may include a plurality of sealing elements 308 configured todirectly engage an interior surface 212 of the reservoir housing 200. Insome aspects, the sealing element 308 may include a plurality of ridges,flanges, and/or the like that extend circumferentially about aperipheral surface of the atomizer housing 306. In particular, thesealing elements 308 may be configured to substantially limit and/orprevent the aerosol precursor composition and/or any aerosol formedwithin a vaporizing chamber 310 from traversing the sealing elements 308disposed on the peripheral surface of the atomizer housing 306 andescape the aerosol delivery device 10 via means other than themouthpiece channel 216 and/or the openings 214, 215 of the mouthpiecechannel 216.

Additionally, the aerosol delivery device 10 includes an atomizer 312disposed within the vaporizing chamber 310. The atomizer 312 includes anliquid transport element 314 that includes a first end 314 a and asecond end 314 b. When the vaporizing assembly 300 is operably engagedwith the substrate member 400, and more particularly, when thevaporizing end 302 of the vaporizing assembly 300 substantially abutsthe substrate member 400, as shown in FIGS. 6, 9, and 12 , each of thefirst and second ends 314 a, 314 b of the liquid transport element 314directly engage the substrate member 400. For example, the first andsecond ends 314 a, 314 b of the liquid transport element 314 maysubstantially abut a portion of the second planar surface 406 of thesubstrate member 400 such that the liquid transport element 314 is influid communication with the substrate member 400. Additionally, amedial portion of the liquid transport element 314 extends between thefirst end 314 a and the second end 314 b and may include wicking and/orporous materials that provide for the movement of the aerosol precursorcomposition therethrough (e.g., via capillary action), such that theaerosol precursor composition may be drawn proximate to a heatingelement 316.

Additionally or alternatively, the substrate member 400 may define atleast one orifice configured to receive at least a portion of the liquidtransport element 314 proximate the first and second ends 314 a, 314 btherethrough. For example, the substrate member 400 may define anorifice sized similarly to an aerosol precursor composition orifice 516defined by the sealing member 500, and the orifice defined by thesubstrate member 400 may be aligned with the aerosol precursorcomposition orifice 516 of the sealing member 500. In some aspects, aportion of the liquid transport element 314 proximate the first andsecond ends 314 a, 314 b may extend though the orifice defined by thesubstrate member 400 and the aligned aerosol precursor compositionorifice 516 of the sealing member 500 so as to be in direct fluidcommunication with the aerosol precursor composition within thereservoir chamber 210. According to some aspects, the first and secondends 314 a, 314 b extending through the aerosol precursor compositionorifices 516 may provide for the movement of the aerosol precursorcomposition within the reservoir chamber 210 (e.g., via capillaryaction), such that the aerosol precursor composition is drawn proximateto the heating element 316. In another aspect, the remaining aerosolprecursor composition orifices 516 not engaged with the first and secondends 314 a, 314 b of the liquid transport element 314 may be engagedwith the substrate member 400 so as to retain the aerosol precursorcomposition within the reservoir chamber 210 and/or to provide for theprecise transfer of a desired amount of aerosol precursor compositionfrom the reservoir chamber 210 to the substrate member 400. As shown inFIG. 8 , the heating element 316 may be in a heating arrangement withthe liquid transport element 314. In particular, the heating element 316may extend at least partially about the medial portion of the liquidtransport element 314, and more particularly, may extend at leastpartially about the liquid transport element 314 at a position betweenthe first end 314 a and the second end 314 b of the liquid transportelement 314. In some aspects, the heating element 316 may be configuredto heat the aerosol precursor composition disposed within the medialportion of the liquid transport element 314 to produce an aerosol forinhalation by a user. In particular, the heating element 316 may beformed from a material that provides resistive heating when anelectrical current is applied thereto.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 , the resistive heating element 316 mayinclude a wire defining a plurality of coils wound about the medialportion of the liquid transport element 314. Additionally, as shown inFIGS. 8-11 , the heating element 316 may include a wire material thatprovides resistive heating and may extend between a first electricalterminal 318 a and a second electrical terminal 318 b. For example, thewire material may include Kanthal (FeCrAl), Nichrome, Molybdenumdisilicide (MoSi2), Molybdenum disilicide doped with Aluminum(Mo(Si,Al)₂), ceramics (e.g., a positive temperature coefficientceramic), titanium and/or related alloys in some aspects, althoughvarious other materials may be employed in other aspects. According tosome aspects, the heating element 316 may be formed by winding the wireabout the liquid transport element 314 as described in U.S. Pat. No.9,210,738 to Ward et al., which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety. However, various other aspects of methods may be employedto form the heating element 316, and various other aspects of heatingelement may be employed in the atomizer 312. For example, the heatingelement 316 may be configured to heat the aerosol precursor compositiondisposed within the liquid transport element 314 via radiant heating, asdescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/808,405, filed Jul. 24,2015; Ser. No. 14/958,651, filed Dec. 3, 2015, the contents of which areincorporated herein in their entirety by reference. In another aspect,the heating element 316 may be configured to heat the aerosol precursorcomposition via inductive heating, as described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/958,651, filed Dec. 3, 2015; Ser. No.14/934,763, filed Nov. 6, 2015, the contents of which are incorporatedherein in their entirety by reference.

In some aspects, the first electrical terminal 318 a and a secondelectrical terminal 318 b may be configured to provide the resistiveheating element 316 with an electrical current when the vaporizingassembly 300 is operably engaged with a power source assembly 600. Insome aspects, the heating element 316 may be integrally formed with thefirst and second electrical terminals 318 a, 318 b. In another aspect,the heating element 316 may be operably engaged with and in electricalcommunication with the first and second electrical terminals 318 a, 318b. For example, portions of the heating element 316 may be welded,soldered, brazed, and/or the like to the respective first and secondelectrical terminals 318 a, 318 b. In some aspects, the first and secondelectrical terminals 318 a, 318 b may operably engage the power sourcedisposed within the power source assembly 600 with the first and secondelectrical terminal tabs 319 a, 319 b. For example, in some aspects acircuit may be completed when the first and second electrical tabs 319a, 319 b are operably engaged with the power source disposed in thepower source assembly 600. The power source may provide an electricalcurrent through the heating element 316 when the first and secondelectrical tabs 319 a, 319 b complete the electrical circuit and areengaged with the first and second electrical terminals 318 a, 318 b. Theaerosol precursor composition disposed within the medial portion of theliquid transport element 314 is heated by the wire coils of the heatingelement 316 wound about the medial portion of the transport element 314.Although the heating element 316 is illustrated as a wire having aplurality of coils wound about the aerosol precursor transport element314, additional forms for the heating element 316 are also encompassedby this disclosure, such as a heating element in the form of a foil, afoam, discs, spirals, fibers, wires, films, yarns, strips, ribbons,and/or cylinders.

Additionally, the first and second electrical terminals 318 a, 318 b maybe configured to provide an electrical current to the heating element316 when a control component of the aerosol delivery device 10, whichmay be disposed within the vaporizing assembly 300, the reservoirhousing 200, and/or the power source assembly 600, actuates electricalcurrent flow from the power source to the heating element 316 via thefirst and second electrical terminals 318 a, 318 b. In particular, theaerosol delivery device 10 may include a control component (i.e., acontroller) 322 configured to at least control the heating of theheating element 316 and/or other operations of the aerosol deliverydevice 10 (e.g., powering and/or actuating various visual indicia and/orthe like).

For example, the vaporizing assembly 300 may include a control component322 and at least one control component terminal 320. In some aspects,the aerosol delivery device 10 may include a control component 322 asdescribed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0245658 to Worm et al., whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The controlcomponent terminal 320 may be configured to operably engage the powersource (not shown) disposed in the power source assembly 600 when theconnector housing 330 is directly and/or mechanically engaged with thepower source assembly 600. In particular, the control component terminal320 may be operably engaged with the power source so as to provide anelectrical current to power the control component 322 to control thevarious operations of the aerosol delivery device 10. According to someaspects, the control component terminal 320 may be configured to receiveelectrical signals from additional and/or alternative control components(e.g., a separate control component, etc.) disposed within the powersource assembly 600. Additionally, the control component terminal 320may be configured to provide for electrical communication (i.e.,electrical current, data signals, and/or the like) between a controlcomponent disposed within the power source assembly 600 and the controlcomponent 322 disposed within the vaporizing assembly 300. Additionallyor alternatively, the power source assembly 600 may include a singlecontrol component (not shown) therein that is configured to controlvarious operations of the aerosol delivery device 10, as previouslydescribed herein. For example, the power source assembly 600 may includea housing configured to store a control component and/or a controlcomponent terminal therein, as described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No.2015/0335071 to Brinkley et. al, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the connector housing 330 of the vaporizingassembly 300 may be configured to operably and/or mechanically engagethe power source assembly 600. In some aspects, the connector housing330 may be configured to receive at least a portion of the power sourceassembly 600 therein. Additionally, the connector housing 330 may beconfigured to provide access to at least one of the first electricalterminal 318 a, the second electrical terminal 318 b, and/or the controlcomponent terminal 320. For example, the connector housing 330 mayinclude a coupler 332 configured to directly and mechanically engage atleast a portion of the power source assembly 600.

Additionally, the coupler 332 may define a plurality of apertures 340 a,340 b, 340 c configured to receive the first electrical terminal 318 a,the second electrical terminal 318 b, and the control component terminal320 therethrough respectively. Further, the coupler 332 may beparticularly shaped and/or configured such that the connector housing330 may only mechanically engage an authentic power source assembly 600.In particular, an authentic power source assembly 600 may bereciprocally shaped with respect to the coupler 332 such that theappropriate engagement between the power source assembly 600 and theconnector housing 330 may only be accomplished when authentic powersource assemblies 600 are engaged with authentic connector housings 330.For example, an authentic connector housing 330 may include a coupler332 disposed proximate the connecting end 304 of the vaporizing assembly300.

According to some aspects, the coupler 332 may provide benefits in termsof ease of assembly and easy of attachment to the power source assembly600. In some aspects, the coupler 332 may be particularly shaped suchthat the reciprocally shaped power source assembly 600 may onlymechanically engage the coupler 332 when the components are particularlyaligned with respect to one another (i.e., axially and rotationallyaligned with one another). For example, the coupler 332 may include ananti-rotation mechanism 334 configured to prevent rotation of thevaporizing assembly 300 with respect to the power source assembly 600when engaged therewith. In some aspects where the reservoir housing 200is securely attached and/or affixed to the vaporizing assembly 300(e.g., ultrasonically welded), the anti-rotation mechanism 334 may beconfigured to prevent rotation of the reservoir housing 200 with respectto the power source assembly 600 when the connector housing 330 ismechanically engaged with the power source assembly 600. Suchanti-rotation mechanisms are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat.App. Pub. No. 2014/0261495 to Novak III, et al., which is incorporatedherein in its entirety by reference.

In some aspects, the anti-rotation mechanism 334 may include a pluralityof protrusions 336 a, 336 b, 336 c, 336 d, 336 e, 336 f and a pluralityof recesses 338 a, 338 b, 338 c, 338 d, 338 e, 338 f disposed about anouter periphery of a coupler 332 in an alternating arrangement. Thepower source assembly 600 may include a reciprocal arrangement (notshown) of a plurality of recesses and a plurality of protrusionsconfigured to directly engage the plurality of protrusions 336 a, 336 b,336 c, 336 d, 336 e, 336 f and the plurality of recesses 338 a, 338 b,338 c, 338 d, 338 e, 338 f alternatingly disposed about the outerperiphery of the coupler 332. According to some aspects, theanti-rotation mechanism 334 of the connector housing 330 mayadvantageously provide for ease of alignment and reliable engagementwith the power source assembly 600 when operably and directly engagedtherewith. For example, the anti-rotation mechanism 334 may provide foralignment of the connector housing 330 with the power source assembly600 such that the first and second heating terminals 318 a, 318 b and/orthe control component terminal 320 are aligned with respectiveterminals, connectors, and/or the like disposed within the power sourceassembly 600 when the connector housing 330 is engaged therewith.Further, the anti-rotation mechanism 334 may substantially limit anyrotation of the connector housing 330 with respect to the power sourceassembly 600 when the connector housing 330 and the power sourceassembly 600 are mechanically engaged therewith. In some embodiments,the connector housing 330 may include additional engagement assembliesthat provide for a threaded fit, friction fit, interference fit,magnetic fit, and/or the like with the power source assembly 600.

Yet other features, controls or components that can be incorporated intoaerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure are described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,967,148 to Harris et al.; 5,934,289 to Watkins et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,954,979 to Counts et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,560 toFleischhauer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,365,742 to Hon; U.S. Pat. No.8,402,976 to Fernando et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 9,220,302 to DePiano et al.;U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2010/0163063 by Fernando et al.; 2013/0192623to Tucker et al.; 2013/0298905 to Leven et al.; 2013/0180553 to Kim etal. and 2014/0000638 to Sebastian et al.; 2014/0261495 to Novak et al.;which are incorporated herein by reference.

Referring to FIG. 13 , aspects of the present disclosure may provide fora method 1300 of manufacturing a liquid storage tank for an aerosoldelivery device. The method 1300 may include providing a reservoirchamber 1302 defined, in part, by an outer housing formed of a wall anda central tube interior to the outer housing and formed of a wall. Forexample, the reservoir chamber 210 may be defined, in part, by theinterior surface 212 of the outer wall 201 that forms the reservoirhousing 200 and the exterior surface 218 of the outer wall 217 thatforms the mouthpiece channel 216. The outer housing (e.g., the reservoirhousing 200) may include a closed mouthend and an opposing connectingend, and the central tube (e.g., the mouthpiece channel 216) may have afirst end opening through the closed mouthend of the outer housing and asecond opposing open end.

The method 1300 may further include dispensing an amount of aerosolprecursor composition within the reservoir chamber 1304. In particular,the method may include dispensing the aerosol precursor composition intothe reservoir chamber from the connecting end of the outer housing andin between the exterior surface of the outer wall of the central tubeand the interior surface of the outer wall of the outer housing.

According to some aspects, the method 1300 may further include insertinga sealing member into the outer housing 1306. For example, the methodmay include inserting a sealing member, such as the sealing member 500illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B, into the outer housing from theconnecting end of the outer housing. Further, the sealing member mayinclude a central orifice (e.g., a sealing member vapor orifice 506)configured to provide for fluid communication between any of theopenings of the central tube (e.g., the opening 215 disposed at theterminal end 219 of the mouthpiece channel 216 and/or the opening 214 ofthe mouthpiece channel 216 disposed proximate the mouthend 202 of thereservoir housing 200), the central tube (e.g., the mouthpiece channel216), and/or a vaporizing chamber (e.g., the vaporizing chamber 310). Inparticular, the method may include inserting the sealing member into theouter housing so as to engage a peripheral portion of the sealing memberwith the wall of the outer housing and the central orifice of thesealing member with the second open end of the central tube in a sealingarrangement. As described herein, the sealing member may include asealing element that surrounds the circumferential periphery of thesealing member. Additionally, the central orifice of the sealing membermay include an annular flange portion that provides a seat for thecentral tube, which the central tube may substantially abut when thecentral tube is in a sealing arrangement with the sealing member, asdescribed previously herein.

The method 1300 may further include inserting a substrate memberadjacent to the sealing member 1308. In particular, the substrate membermay be inserted into the outer housing from the connecting end of theouter housing and may be disposed within the outer housing andsubstantially abut the sealing member when inserted within the outerhousing. In some aspects, the method may include inserting the substratemember adjacent to the sealing member such that a substrate engagingmember is inserted within a central orifice of the substrate member, aspreviously described herein.

The foregoing description of use of the article can be applied to thevarious embodiments described herein through minor modifications, whichcan be apparent to the person of skill in the art in light of thefurther disclosure provided herein. The above description of use,however, is not intended to limit the use of the article but is providedto comply with all necessary requirements of disclosure of the presentdisclosure.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure will come tomind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains havingthe benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions andthe associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that thedisclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosedherein and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to beincluded within the scope of the appended claims. Although specificterms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptivesense only and not for purposes of limitation.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An aerosol delivery device comprising: areservoir housing having: an outer wall that extends from a mouthend anda connecting end; a storage portion defined within the outer wall andextending from the mouthend toward the connecting end of the outer wall,the storage portion at least partially defining a reservoir configuredto store an aerosol precursor composition; and a mouthpiece channeldefined interior to the outer wall and extending from the mouthendtoward the connecting end of the outer wall, the mouthpiece channelbeing configured for passage of vapor therethrough; and an atomizerhousing configured as a unit that is engageable with the reservoirhousing so as to be at least partially disposed within the reservoirhousing, the atomizer housing defining therein: a vaporizing chamber: avaporizing assembly positioned in the vaporizing chamber and comprisinga liquid transport element and a heating element in a heatingarrangement with the liquid transport element; and a sealing memberarranged to separate the storage portion of the reservoir housing fromthe vaporizing chamber and configured to allow flow of the aerosolprecursor composition from the storage portion of the reservoir housinginto the vaporizing chamber, the sealing member including at least onevapor orifice arranged for passage of vapor from the vaporizing chamberto the mouthpiece channel.
 2. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1,further comprising a connector integrally formed with the atomizerhousing.
 3. The aerosol delivery device of claim 2, wherein theconnector comprises a plurality of apertures configured to receive afirst electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal extendingfrom the heater in the vaporizing chamber.
 4. The aerosol deliverydevice of claim 3, wherein the connector comprises a first electricalterminal tab arranged for electrical connection with the firstelectrical terminal and a second electrical terminal tab arranged forelectrical connection with the second electrical terminal, the firstelectrical terminal tab and the second electrical terminal tab beingoperably engageable with a power source.
 5. The aerosol delivery deviceof claim 1, wherein the atomizer housing comprises at least one sealingelement on a peripheral surface thereof.
 6. The aerosol delivery deviceof claim 5, wherein the at least one sealing element extendscircumferentially about the peripheral surface of the atomizer housing.7. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiecechannel and the outer wall of the reservoir housing are coaxial.
 8. Theaerosol delivery device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir housingfurther includes at least one sealing member support extending along adirection parallel to a longitudinal axis of the reservoir housing andhaving a terminal end.
 9. The aerosol delivery device of claim 1,wherein the mouthpiece channel includes a first portion, a secondportion, and a transition therebetween, the transition being configuredto prevent formation of a meniscus within the mouthpiece channel.